Baseball game abparatus



y 30, 1933' L. EQSNODGRASS 1,911,651

" BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 30, 19-33. 1.. E. SNODGRASS BASEBALL GAME APRARA'IUS Filed April 20, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /N VE N T01?- L ESL/E E. SNODGEASS.

hi5 ATTORNE Y Patented May 30, 1933 Swe test .qj l Passer Q IQIY immi rat e f-retains -Application filed. a rn'ao, 1931. Serial-No. sa1 4se,

,Thisin ent m elates .t a baseball game apparatns. and 1 e- Qbja t of the invention is toprovid an. appa a us with which the m ba eball may i h P y accordi toftlie.establishe dlrnles of baseball and on hi h \ay be: mad subs antially all the p 13x85 that" m y 'b -made in the regul i g h. a

51% ai -tetra; season is to provides game. board-having: means for guiding a ball from any one of several plays ers stationsito a selected one. of a plurality of otherstationsm;m h i A frmther objest-ofthe'invention isto a selectedrstation;

A r further objeet of jhe inventionis to iprovideysueh an: apparatus :in which the ball projecting ;means .Wl'lliCOlIlPliSGJfl small number pi parts to be selectively operated, thus enabling: the selection to made and the ball projected yery qnickly."

i? A further; objectgot theinvention is to provideselectiY-e means to projecting the basernnner;tromonenbasefto another.

Otheraobjectsqof the-invention will ap pear asithe apparatusis 1 described in detail.

In the accompanying-drawings Fig. 1 is Fig.,2"i s abottomplan view ofthesame, partly broken away, arid omitting a number -bit the ponnecting rods; F g. Bis a section keaienthe lin 42 F g. 1;.= i a i e ti n akes Q ths l ne of g- Fig. is a section takenon the line- :55.. of

the line 7- 7 of Fig. 1; Fig.' 8 is a detail 7 .one ofthe tracks showing A groove l4 leads from first base to second a top-plan -Yiew Qifa game: apparatn's embodying; my invention; partly broken away-g View ifim .o f athe aotuating'devices forac ,tuating'the ballpnojecting device; Fig; 9 is a detail v iervof one ;.of the actuating devices 1 a sectional view taken thrdughoheof the g ZQQWS showing the ball inposition: there-' in," and Fig; 11 is a section taken-through Asillustrated -inthese drawings the appa' ratns cornprises a supporting structure or g llle board 10 which is preferably rectangular in-shape and may be of any suitable 3 material, such as sheet metal. is/ provided in its upper or playing surface with a plurality of depressions orrecesses rconstitulzing .players stations and which are arranged in the positions usually occupied Ti yltheseyeral players ofthe-baseball team, Each o these player s stations is connected th 9. 01' more of the other stations- 10v suitable 'means, such as grooves,'for guiding i the ball from that station to a selected one' f of the oth r stations; Fourof these a) players stations are, of course, arranged attirerespeetive corners' of the ball diamond land nst tute bases The home base lliscon ted by a groove 12 with first-base 13:":

base, 15,; a grdove 16 leads from-secondbase to third :base,' '17- 5' anda groove 18'1eads-from I third base to home base, these 5 several grewesheing arranged along the respective margins of the diamond; Third base is connested-with first base by a diagonal groove,

'19 and. second base 'is connected with home base by a diagonal groove 20. The pitchers .statiQn .21 is arranged at the intersection of:

groovesil9 and 20 and a portion: of'the 531i groove 20 constitutes the pitching groove, through'iwhich .the ba ll is guided from the pitchers. station to the batters station, 1

' iCh is hown at 22, immediately in front- The home base also con- :stitntes t e Catohersstation'and inasmuch o the home base.

as it is located in-the corner of the board it' 'is not practical to place the batters station direotlyat the base. The-batters station W comprises a part ofaflat surface arranged in front of the home base station and comfor mntrQlling-the base runner; Fig-10 is} p thespherial base ,ru nnerin positlon thereon. I

T em

stations, at the will of the operaton and,

that the ball may be thrown fromthe short stop station to any one of-the'iour base stations. The recesses constituting the pit chers station are comparatively shallow so that a ball propelled with any considerable force will move across the recess and continueits movement iwithin the "-grooveb, i

A right. field station: 28, is ;connectedby a groove 29, with :the home base station' and with the batters station,-this groove serving both to: guide aU-batted ball to the ou-tfield station and to guide a thrown; ball from theoutfield. station. to the home base. This groove with first base, by a--g'roove"'31- 1 with second. base and by ia' groove 33 with third base. .The'centeri'field station-'33 is connected with home base statiodand the -by a'groove.36 with third base iThe deft field station 37 is connectedby 'a-groove 38 with home base and the batters station, by a "groove 393'with second base and-by groove :40 withthirdbase. The center and left; field: stations. are not connected with first) base because the. distance the 'ballmust travel-from the batters station toeitherof these; outfield stations and then to first base is sogreat that itmay be assumed that the batterwohld-outrun the ball. 1

Eachiof .theilpla-yersi stations, is provided with --means for; projecting thebal'l-= from that station along any .groove leading from that station, at. the-will: of the operator,=*and preferably :Jneans are provided for simul taneously actuating-1 the :ball projecting devices: ata plurality of stations in a direction to project the ball toward. a single selected station. I In this :way the: numberfiof actuating devices? which :must be controlled 1 by the operator is' reduced: to -a--minimum :and the selection and. operation is made easy and capable of rapid accomplishment. 1 1 For example, if the ball is at thirdbase station and it is vdesiredto throw it to first base the op erator would "actuate a device whichwill impart movement to the actuating device -at' each: of the several .players" station's whichare connected with first-base in-a direction to propel, the ball toward-firstb'ase, :but i'nl asm'uch as there a would: be i onlyat third 1 base -.'station the movement of thatinay 'b'e'projectedand caused to enga e a seatedinthe recess or station. T ere is" a l'ufig'ei'rei each groove leading from that playeflsstationand each plunger is arranged to move longitudinally of one of these grooves, -=thus *by j selecting the" plunger whichis tob'e operated theoperator-mayf -cau'se theball to be projected 1 through any one of the ooves; The pitchers' statiomjas shown in f fgs; =1 and 4, has four grooves" leading therefrom and-istherefore rovided with four'plungers.: Eachofthe ot er playright;ficld.station is. also connected by' a ers stations is provided with a numberf. of

-plungers corresponding to'j the number of groovesleading har station {and the"; plungers-s arearranged Y p ojec n 1 in the present arrangement l 'havei'coninectedwith each'plunger an actuating rod":

44 which is pivotallconnected at its oppo-- rite end withaidis =45 rotatabl y'mounted' beneath .the'iboard and which -is acted npon iby a. spring 46 :which holds the *same noramally in. "a. position- :to i retract the plunger. Connected with: the. disk-45 is "a secomil' ac tuating rod 47 which :is connected-'at 'its" otherend-with :one arrn 48 o'f' a bell crank lever, '(see Figs. 2 and:'8),which ispivot'ally 3105 mounted on; :a:- bracket- 49 depending from --.the1;board. .Theotherlarmxof this bellicran'k lever is connected with the lower endofa push rod .50: which extends above the board: The-depressionof. this push rod by the op erator .WillilIDPflI't rotatory movement tothe disk14r5. in a; direction l-to cause the plunger to enter the recess :or station and project the ball therefrom. The-"act uati n'g disk45 a. is I :connected by a rod 44 with e'ach of the sew- :eral Players stations which are -'connected grooves z-with the same: base' station; so

that.operativel movement imparted to the 1- actuating disk45 Will'cause a'p'lun'ger' at each of -thosegrstationstoaenter" the recess -and, if thereris a balLin that recess,=-=to'pro that actuating *device is associated. There .jecttha-t ba-lltowardthe base' with' which are four: actuating disks 45,-onefor' each' 1 base, and" a separate push "rod provided "for imparting movement to each actuating' disk.

I n Fig". 2 of the{drawings, -I have shownv v I only one of the-actuatirig'-disks' 45 as'con actuating device I only would 'be. effective nectedwith 'itsl several plungers, this pap was;

those plungers ,which are arranged to project'the ball toward't'hir'd base. The several push rods for operating theseactuating disksare gro'uped'at that side of the board adjacent to the operator who represents the fielding team. As has been stated, the push rod 50 controls the actuating device for proecting the ball toward third basel The other push rods 5062,5023, and50c are connected, respectively, with the plungers which project the ball toward home base, first base and secondbase. i The plunger at the pitchers statio n which serves to project the ball toward home base 'isalso utilized for'pitching the ball tothe batter. ,Mounted adjacent to the batters station isa movable element constituting a bat and, in the present construction, this, element comprises a stud 51 carried by a disk 52 rotatably mounted beneath-ethe board and this stud projects upwardly through. an arc uate slot 53 and is 'providedabove the board with a head 54, -to provide'the same with a relatively large striking surface. The-disk 52 is acted upon by a spring 55 which holds the bat normally in its retracted positioin lVhen the disk is actuated to move the bat outwardly along the arcu'ate slot the bat will be interposed in the path of a ball delivered I from i the pitchers station through the groove 20 and if this movementis properly timed with relation tothe movement tojthc ball the bat will strike thefball and knock the same through-one of the grooves which communicates with the batters station, the

particulaf'groove which the'ballenterS and the distance which 1 it travels being controlled by the' timing ofthe batfwith relation to the ball andthe force with which thejbat is moved- "The disk 52fwl'1ich car ries the bat is connected by 'a rod 56 .with' onearm' ofa'bell crank lever 57, similar to the lever shownin Fig." 8, and apush rod 58 is connected with'the'other arm otthat bell crankflever and eXtendsupwardly through the board,see Figs," 1 and'2. This bat operating push rod is preferably arranged on that side ofthe board adjacent tofthe operator representing the batting team.

Arranged along each side ofjt he diamond 1s a guide or track for gu ding the base run ners from base station to'bas estation. In the device here illustrated each of these tracks comprises a pair of parallel rods 59 mounted onthe upper surface of the board,

spaced some distance above the same and inclined from each base'towardthe 'siicceed--, ing base, in the direction in which the base runner travels. As here shown, the rods have'their rear ends turned .downwardly, as shown at'60, and'are rigidly secured'at both ends-t0 the board 10. At the corners of the board adjacent to the first, second andthird bases, are arrange dcurved guides 6l to control the turningmovementot;the base runner. I Adjacent tothe higher-or receiving endof each track and-adjacent. to the corresponding base ,is adevice adapted to receive a base runner entering that basestationand to deliver the runner ontothe track leading from that station: Preferably; the base run ners are in the form iof balls, as shown .at 62 in Fig. 11, Each device for delivering the base runner to the succeeding track is preferably in the. form of .aplunger i 63 mounted for vertical movement in the board and having at its upperend a recessed head L to receive the base. runner. This head lies close to the downturned ends of the.

track rods and'its recessed surface is sloped slightlytoward those rods so that thespherical base runner resting on the head will bear against ;the downturned ends of the trackrods and when the plunger is actuated to lift the base runner above thelevel of the track itfwill roll oil the head 64 and onto -the. track and. will move along the latter by gravity. If desired, these plungers may be provided withguards65 which over-.

plunger-s are separately controlled and there is therefore a separate push rod 69 for each plunger. Thesepushrods are group'ed in a convenient arrangement adjacent-to the bat actuating push rod 58.=- It will be apparent thereforethat. the operator representing the batting-team has complete control over the batter and. overzthe base run-' V In the present construction-the track 59 which leads to the home base does notdeliver the base runner directly tothe head of the; plunger .63 butdelivers-the same to a shallow receptacle-70. whichis adapted to contain a plurality of theibase runner balls.

This receptacle is :so shaped that the balls will roll towardthe head 64:0fthe adjacent plunger and when this plunger is in its lower positionlthere will always be a ball in position upon the same.

'21 have also provided means to automati cally determine whether a runner is safe or is F out at'a base and I do this by providing a stopdevice which will prevent the base runner from entering the-station, that is, moving. to a position on theplufnger when a ball arrives firstatthat base station.

As here shown, thisstop device is in the form of a lever 71 pivotall-ymounted be:

tween its ends and having its upper end movableintoandiout of a position in the path of 'the'ba'll'as the latter moves along the'track rods 59. Normallythis end of the lever will be depressed,"by its ownweight',

so that it Will be out'of the path of the ball; The other "end of the lever projects into theadjacent recess or players'station and aball entering that station will engage this end ofthe lever and cause the upper end'of the lever to move intothe path of the base-runner. 'Ifthe base/runner passes the lever and enters the station the runner issafe, but if the 'base'runner is stopped or thrown from the trackby the stop before he enters the station he is out. I

In playing the game 't'wooperators occupy opposite sides of the board. The operator representing the fielding team manipulates his ball projecting device to pitch a ball toward home base and past the batters station. The operator representing the'batting team manipulates the bat in an effort to strike the ball. If he succeeds 'in striking the ball he immediately operates that push rod=69 which controls the base runner lifting plunger at home base to cause a base runner to be delivered to the track and started on his Way to first base.

As soon as the ball enters one of the players stations the fielding operator manipulate's the proper push rod to cause the'ball to be projectedto firstbase. If'he succeeds in getting the'ball to first-base before-the base runner, of-course the latter is out. 'Otherwise he is safe. As soon as one play has been completed another batter takes his place and. the ball is again pitched. If the runner issafe on first and attempts to steal second thefielding player may operate the ball projecting device at home base-to throw the ball to second. If the second batter hits the ball While the first base runner is on first base the fielding operator m-ustthen determine whether-he will attempt to'catch thefirst base runner at second orthe batter at first,'and manipulate his push rods according-1y The arrangement of-mechanism and the character ofthe controlling devices is such that the'game can be played very rapidly and a very greatsdeal of skill developed in the playing of the'same.

While the use of the devices for projecting the ball and controlling the base runners is desirable, as they enable a higher skill to be developed and a more rapid game to be played,-they are not necessary to the use of the game board. The ball game may be playedon the grooved board without any actuating mechanism other than the bat, the balls and the base runners being manipulated by the fingers of the respective operators, who roll the balls along the grooves and the base runners along the tracks; In this way the game may be played in a very isms-51' What Iclaim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is v a I 2 1. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a plurality of recesses representing the four bases of a baseball field, and grooves 4 connecting each of said bases directly with all the other bases, whereby the ball inplay may be projected from any j on'e' of' sa'id bases to a selected one of theotherbases.

2. In a baseball game apparatus, aboard having a plurality of recesses representing the four bases of a baseball field," and grooves connecting e'ach oflsaid bases di-' rectly with all the other bases, whereby the ball in play maybe projected 'from any one of said bases to a selectedone of the other bases, said board also having another recess representing the short stop station, and

grooves connecting said short stop station with all of said bases. v a

3. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a plurality of recesses representing bases at the respectivecorners of a baseball: diamondpgrooves extending along the mar; gins of said diamond and connecting each" base with a succeeding base, and other grooves extending diagonally of said idiamond to connect each base with theba'se; at

the opposite corner of said diamond. 4; In a baseball gamecapp'aratus,aboard having a plurality of 1 recesses, constituting players stations, a batters station, a fiat surface in front of said batters station, grooves leading from said fiat surface to the; and other:

respective players stations, 7 J grooves 'connectmg each of said players stations with certain other players stations;

5. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a plurality of recesses "representing mt the shortstop and outfield players stations,

players stations at'the four bases of a'baseball diamond, other recesses representing a batte1"s'station, grooves leading from said batters station to the respective players stations, and grooves connecting each players station with one or more of said base stations. i

In a baseball game apparatus, a board; having-a plurality of recesses representing;

players stations at thezfou r'bases of abaser.

ball diamond, other recesses representingthe short stop and outfield players stations, a batters station, grooves; leading from said batters station to the respective :players stations, grooves connectingeach lplayers 136 station with one or'more'of said base stations, and tracks to guide a base runner from each base station to the succeeding base station.

7. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a plurality of recesses representing the stations of the several players of a baseball team, a batters station, a groove leading from the pitchers station to said batters station, a bat mounted for movement into, the path of the ball delivered along said groove, other grooves leading from said batters station to the respective players station, grooves connecting each players station with one or more other players stations, and an actuating device for said bat mounted on said board.

8. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a plurality of recesses representing players stations, grooves leading from certain of said recesses to a plurality of other recesses along which the ball in play may be rolled from one players station to another players station, ball projecting means associated with each players station, and means for selectively actuating said projecting means to project a ball along any one of the grooves leading from that players station.

9. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a plurality of recesses representing players stations at the four bases of a baseball diamond, other recesses representing the short stop and outfield players stations, a batters station, grooves leading from said batters station to the respectlve players stations, grooves connecting each players station with one or more of said base stations, ball projecting means associated with each of said players stations and operable to project a ball along any of the grooves lead- 1ng from that station, and means for simultaneously operating the projecting means at a plurality of said stations in a direction to propel a ball toward a single other station.

10. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a plurality of players stations, ball projecting means associated with each players station and operable to project the ball toward a selected one of a plurality of other stations, and means for simultaneously operating the projecting means at each of said stations in a direction to propel a ball toward the same selected station.

11. In a baseball gameapparatus, a board having a, plurality of players stations, a plurality ofseparately operable projecting devices associated with each of said stations, the projecting devices of each station being arran ed to project the ball toward difierent ot er stations, and means for selectively operating said projecting devices. 7

12. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a plurality of players stations,a plurality of separately operable projecting devices associated with each of said stations,

the" projecting devices of each station being arranged toproject the ball toward diflt'erent other stations, and a single actuating device connected with the corresponding projecting I devices'at fthe respective stations.

; '13. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a plurality of recesses representing tions, a 'plu'rality of plungers mounted 'for movement into and out of each of said re e'es'ses,'=the plungers of each recess being'ar ranged to project a ball along different grooves leading from that recess, and means for; selectively operating said plungers.

-14. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having aplurality of recesses representing players stations, grooves connecting eachjof said stations with a plurality of other stations,-azplurality of plungers mountedfor movement'into' and outof each of said recesses, the plungers of each" recess being ar rangedfto project a ballalong difier'ent, grooves leading from that recess, and an actuating device connected" with one of the plungers at each recess. I i

15. In a baseballgameapparatus, a board having astation representing a base of a baseball diamond, means for directing a ball to "said" station,"means to guide .a base runner-'to saidstation, a device movably mounted acent to said station and having a part movable'into the path ofa baserunnor-approaching said station and having an; other part arranged to be actuated by a ball entering said station to move the fii'st men tionedpartinto the path of saidbase runner.

16.1 In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a plurality of recesses representing players" stations at the four bases of a baseball diamond, other -recesses representing the short'stop and outfield players stations, a batters station, grooves leading from'said' batters "station-to the'resp ective players stations, grooves connecting each players station with one or more of said base stations, tracks to guide a base runner from base station to base station, an operable device at each base station to receive a base runner and deliver the same to the track leading from that base station, a ball projecting deviceat each players station to project a ball along a selected groove leading from that station, actuating devices for selectively operating said ball projecting devices, and other actuating devices for selectively operating the devices for delivering the base runners from the base stations to the tracks leading from the respective base stations.

17. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having players stations corresponding to the bases of a baseball diamond, inclined tracks to guide a base runner from the respective bases to the succeeding bases, a vertically movable plunger; mounted at each base and having a head to receive a spherical base runner entering, that a station, a guard'carried by said plunger, overhanging said head and arranged to provide an inlet which is in line with the lower end of one track when said plunger is in its lower position, and an outlet adjacent to the elevated end of the other track, the end por- 10 tion ofthe last mentioned trackserving to retain said spherical base runner on said head until said plunger has been fully=elevated,and separate means for actuating the respective plungers, v U 18. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a plurality of recesses constituting players stations, a batters station, a;.fla t surface in front of said batters. station, and grooves leading from said flat surface to and terminatingat the respective players stations, and ball projecting devices at each of said players. stations.

19. In a baseball game apparatus, a board having a plurality of recesses constituting players stations, a batters station, a fiat surface in front of said batters station, grooves leading from said flat surface to the respective players stations, and other grooves connecting each of said, players stations with certain I other players stations,

and ball projecting devices at each of said players stations. I v

20. In a baseball ,game, a board having a batters station and a plurality of recesses representing field players stations,grooves leading from said ,batters station to the re-, spective recesses, and other grooves connecting certain of said recesses directly one with the other, whereby a ball may berolled from the batters station to one of said recesses and from that recess to another recess. I,

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa-L ture hereto. V LESLIE E. SN ODGRASS. 45, 1 i 

